Persistent dorsal displacement of the soft palate associated with epiglottic shortening in two horses.

This research article investigates two cases of Thoroughbred horses that were diagnosed with persistent dorsal displacement of the soft palate due to a shortening of the epiglottis, which resulted in decreased exercise tolerance and abnormal respiratory noise.

Research Context

• The article focuses on two Thoroughbred horses that were experiencing reduced capacity for exercise and unusual noise during strenuous activities due to a condition known as persistent dorsal displacement of the soft palate.
• This health issue is associated with misplacement of the soft palate, which is typically positioned under the epiglottis, but in these cases, was dislocated upwards.
• The displacement was found to be due to the epiglottis being approximately only two-thirds of the normal size, limiting its ability to hold the soft palate in the correct position.

Methods and Diagnostic Procedures

• The researchers used contrast pharyngography – a type of imaging study that uses a contrast material to visualize the pharynx and neighboring structures – to propose that the root cause was a primary epiglottic abnormality.
• To visually assess the observed lesion, the team performed an exploratory ventral laryngotomy, which is a surgical procedure to access the larynx, and an endoscopy of the oropharynx per os, that is, via the mouth.

Results and Conclusions

• The research findings revealed that surgical intervention to correct the displacement did not significantly improve the horses’ exercise capacity.
• This suggests that other factors might be at play, and further investigation into the root causes and effective treatment strategies for this condition in horses is necessary.